


The Woman With Three Names

by TheLadyKing



Category: Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Canon Disabled Character, F/M, M/M, Multi, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition, Post-Tresspasser, also tears, lots of crying and sadness, lots of rogues, seriously way too many rogues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-10 13:25:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5587603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyKing/pseuds/TheLadyKing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Are you okay?" Cullen asked, his own swollen face filled with worry. She lifted her hand and groaned as she felt her insides scream in protest of the movement. She'd never be okay again, at this rate.</p><p>"Alive. Hurt... but whole," she said after a silent moment. A smile came to her face then, not one full of teeth as they'd all seemed to be lately. But a real smile. For the first time in a long while she actually felt whole. And no bald (handsome, smart, lovely) bastard could take that from her. Her heart? Sure, he could have that and keep it for all she cared. She was more than who she loved. She was more than her Dalish heritage, more than the elf who had captured Cullen's attention and kept in in her slight hands, more than her old titles. More than it all.</p><p>She was... well she wasn't exactly sure what, but she was something. Damnit, she was something! And as sure as she was something she swore on her name, ever single one of them, that change was coming to Thedas... whether it liked it or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hell Hath No Fury

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time trying my hand at a Dragon Age fic. I hope you all enjoy it.

Solas had been her first love. And as such his betrayal came like a slap in the face. One that she had seen coming from miles and miles away and yet hadn’t done a thing to try and stave it off. The sting of it almost shattered her but she’d been through different trials and tribulations that were no less ground shaking and had somehow come out of them mostly unscathed. She refused to allow him the satisfaction of breaking her. Instead she set to work. Disbanding the Inquisition seemed like the best course of action, she didn’t need any more spies watching over her actions and it allowed a freedom she hadn’t seen in all her life. The only drawback was how deeply she needed the resources that the Inquisition could afford her.

  
It was a complicated issue but one she did not have time to stew over. So she brought it to her advisors for what ended up being the very last time. Leliana promised her all the help she could afford to lend her as Divine while Josephine offered to make use of her many contacts in her aide. It was Cullen who offered to go with her.

  
‘ _I pledged my fealty to you before. It was not a pledge I took lightly and, in light of recent events, not one I intend to disregard_ ,’ he’d assured her. It had been a silent moment until she’d had the sense enough to nod her head. She wouldn’t deny him, not Cullen. Besides after so many years traveling with companions, first her clan and later the friends and contacts she’d made as the Inquisitor, she’d be much too lonely all alone.

  
It also helped that she was sure he’d have followed after her even if she had tried to leave without him.

  
So it was set. She would disband the Inquisition, relinquish her title, and set off on her own to stop Solas from his mad plan.

  
All easier said than done.

 

\---

 

Cassandra was livid, eyes shooting fire as she sat across from Kha’les. Khal, of course, had known this was coming and, as such, had spent the majority of her last weeks in Skyhold avoiding the woman. It was as she said her goodbyes to Sera, who planned to make as much use of her ‘friends’ as Khal needed, that she was finally cornered. Which all lead to this stare down.

  
Khal scratched at the back of head sheepishly, shifting uncomfortably under the woman’s gaze.

  
“So are we just going to stare at each other all day or…,” she trailed off as Cassandra’s eyes flashed with rage once more. This wasn’t turning out exactly as she’d thought. Though, there were no flying chairs so it wasn’t exactly bad that this wasn’t going as Khal had expected.

  
“You’d take Cullen and not me.” the woman accused. It was exactly said like a question so Khal just sank a bit farther in her seat.

  
“Well that’s really a funny thing, you know. The Commander… er… Cullen offered and you didn’t so I just figured that… you had something better to do,” she muttered the last bit, her cheek dying before it had even started up. Cassandra didn’t bother to roll her eyes or even give an exasperated sigh, that’s when Khal knew she was in trouble.

  
“I will also be coming, then. That is not a question,” Cassandra stated without blinking. Khal groaned and shifted in her seat. That was too much. With Cassandra things would get too big. Two was pair but three was company as the saying went.

  
“Cass, that’s not a good idea. Not that I wouldn’t love you watching my back for old times’ sake but that would draw too much attention. You couldn’t be inconspicuous if you tried. You can’t all just follow me anymore. Which sounds harsh, probably, but it’s true. To be honest with you, I’d only said yes to Cullen because I knew he’d follow me regardless. He’s a bullheaded man when he wants to be,” Khal explained, hoping that Cassandra would understand her point of view and accept her decision.

  
“No. You will not leave me behind, Khal. Solas was my friend too,” she said then, softly. Khal nearly rolled out of her chair at the words. She couldn’t be serious.

  
“Do you think, Cass, that he thought of you as a friend? As me as an equal? Perhaps for a moment, but that moment is long past. When it comes down to it we are nothing compared to the home he tore asunder ages ago. And there is no part of me that doesn’t wish things were different but they are not and that is the reality I live in. That I couldn’t… that we all couldn’t change his mind means that there is only two ways things will end. Either he wins or I do,” she gritted out between clenched teeth. She’d had enough of everyone’s pity. They must have all thought she was fighting for a way to change his mind but she’d tried that already. She’d searched for him the fade and in the waking hours in equal measure. If her love was not enough, if she was not enough than nothing was.

  
Not until he either saw real change or his end. And she, slighted and scorned as she was, didn’t mind being the catalyst for either.

  
Cassandra blinked rapidly at her biting tone and then frowned, reaching her gloved hand across the wooden table for Khal’s. The elven woman looked down at the offending appendage before taking it into her own. She allowed her anger, her hurt, to ebb away under the other woman’s warm palm.

  
“I… I overstepped my bounds. I am sorry, my friend. I realize that you knew Solas better than any of us, that you… felt for him in a way I would have never entertained. And I understand that my anger has made me short sighted, there is merit in your intentions. I only wish to help you in my best capacity,” Cassandra clarified, her voice much lighter than it had been at the start of their conversation. Khal nods and lets out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in.

  
“I will need help, of course. If I am to… keep the peace, so to speak, in Thedas. I need contacts, agents, I am waging a very covert war, Cassandra. Which sounds harsh but we are talking about thousands of lives at stake and I can’t be the champion on the throne any longer. I have to be out there. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still need people behind me. I need voices, warriors, spies. It’s pretty much like being the Inquisitor still but without the title. I cannot do this under scrutiny from Val Royeaux. Or The Free Marches, for that matter. I need to get lost, Cass. Disappear completely,” Khal urges, her light amber eyes searching the warm brown of her dear friends, their hands still clenched tightly together. In a moment Cassandra is nodding her head, understanding dawning on her quickly.

  
“Then I will do all that I can for you. That is a promise.” Khal smiled then, flashing teeth and gums, before leaning closer across the table.

  
“Wouldn’t it be something if I had the Seekers as allies?” she whispers with a smirk. Cassandra returns it, humor and determination coloring her freckled cheeks.

  
“Something, indeed.”

 

\---

 

Dorian cried. Great fat tears rolled down his cheeks as hiccuping gasps tore through his well-muscled frame. Khal couldn’t help herself but to roll her eyes at his dramatics.

  
As far as she knew he’d been fine minutes ago when Bull had swaggered out of his quarters as if he’d just hung the moon and the sun with just his horns. She supposed as far as Dorian was concerned he’d actually done just that, if the smile he’d been sporting before he’d noticed her entry said anything about the experience.

  
But since he’d seen her, watching him with a teasing smirk, he’d just started sobbing. She loved her friend, truly she did, but this was getting out of hand.

  
“Why?!” he cried, flailing back onto his mattress. She grimaced and watched him for a moment more before moving closer, perhaps she’d been too callous with him. Just as she reached out a hand to touch his trembling shoulder he shot his head up, smirk in place in an instant.

  
“You’ve fallen for my trap,” he teased. She sighed and rolled her eyes once more. Of course it was all a game, as things with them tended to be.

  
“What brought all this on? This Diva act?” she asked with a quirked brow. He shrugged and flopped onto his back.

  
“Firstly, I'm always a Diva. Secondly, believe it or not, I actually was crying earlier. It was as disturbing as it sounds, believe me. And then Bull came in to check on me and well… you saw him walk out. It was a great way to release my pent up emotions, I assure you,” he began just and she lifted her hand to stop him.

  
“I do not want to know about sex between you and Bull. Not _again_ ,” she shuttered, the memory of their last sex talk sending disgusted chills down her spine. It had been graphic. Hot and graphic and very very wrong. Somethings just weren't supposed to go into people. 

  
“Ah, yes. Anyway I was thinking about how one of my truest friends is going off on some type of expedition that she didn’t think to invite me to and I was wracked with emotions the like of which I’ve never experienced. It was terribly overwhelming, to be quite honest. Would not recommend,” he whined. Khal laughed softly at his pouting before placing a chaste kiss upon his wet cheek. He offered her one in turn before pulling her down to his side. They laid cuddled in each others arms in silence for what felt like hours before he let out a chuckle.

  
“What are you thinking, Dori?” she asked softly, feeling much lighter than she had in years.

  
“I’m thinking about the nasty things you and the ‘Commander’ are going to get up to,” he said, his eyebrows wiggling dastardly. She laughed once more before pushing him away good-naturedly.

  
“Oh, come on, Khali. As if you never thought of jumping his huge human bones. That’s quite a bit of man and you already know he’s had quite the crush on you,” she rolled her eyes at this,” It’s true! Ah, I forget sometimes you were too interested in old egg head to pay any other man any attention. It’s no secret that our dear Commander has quite the soft spot for you. Maybe that’s what you need.”

  
“Why would I need that?” she asked finally, letting her head rest against his arm once more.

  
“Because you’re hurting, love. And try as I might I can’t fill those pointy elven shoes. Neither can Cullen, for that matter, but unlike me he’s willing to try. Or perhaps he’ll inspire you to throw those shoes away altogether.

  
“I’m not… I’m better,” she grumbled. This was not a conversation she wanted to have, with Dorian or anyone.

  
“Maybe, but that’s not enough, not really,” he murmured with a yawn.

  
“Then what is?” she questioned, her own lids getting heavy.

  
“I’m not sure. Hopefully our Commander can help you figure it all out.”

 

\---

 

When she sets off with plans to meet Cullen, who has gone to visit his family before their journey truly begins, Cole is beside her. Silent and hopeful as ever. Even as she makes to mount her Red Hart, the one mount that she cannot make herself part with, even if it isn’t as nondescript as she needs to be right now.

  
“You’re angry,” he says in that gentle way of his. If he had approached her any other day she might have entertained him but she didn’t have time for him or his penchant for stating the obvious, not today. Not when she is so close to getting away from this place full of memories.

  
“And you want to be angry. You deserve your anger. Pain—there’s a lot of pain and you don’t know when it will end or if it will ever end but if it does you think having his heart in your hands will make things better. That crushing him and his plan will make you feel less used. It won’t,” he says rapidly just as she makes to ride off. His words make her stop, make her think of all the planning she has done in the last few weeks. Makes her think of the things she has hidden in Skyhold, things she knows no one will ever find, less they make to lift the whole castle from the mountain. Makes her think of the dream she’d had the night before, the one where a black wolf had watched her with something like sadness in its’ red eyes.

  
She doesn’t like this thinking at all.

  
“Can I… I would like to come with you. I know that Cullen doesn’t like me much and that I make you think of Solas because I knew… but I never told because he was my friend. But I would like to help as much I can. I cannot offer you agents or funds but I can offer myself,” he says, his pale eyes pleading under his wide brim hat. She takes in the sight of him and sighs. Cassandra will have her head when she finds out that she’d opted to take Cole instead of her. But, really, she has no choice. Cole, unlike Cassandra, had no place to go. Where would he go but with her? Perhaps to Kirkwall with Varric but that was beside the point… almost.

  
“Fine, hop on,” she muttered, hoping she wouldn’t regret this whole thing. A Dalish elf, a not human/not spirit boy, a dashing ex-Templar, and a dog… it sounded much more like the start of a bad bar joke than a formidable team. Though, she supposed, much of her life sounded like the beginning of a bad bar joke.


	2. First Stop: Crestwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does one whittle with one hand?

To say Cullen was upset when he saw Cole was a bit of an… understatement.

  
-

  
“The demon? You brought along the demon, of all people? Inquisitor-er-Herald- Lady Lavellan, this is not a good idea. Also your choice of mount will give us away to anyone with eyes. I should have left more specific instructions. This is not, we cannot take the hart. We will not take the demon,” Cullen grumbled, pacing back and forth in front of Khal, who sat silently whittling a small piece of wood. She looked up at him as he began combing his large fingers through his blond hair. She smiled at the sight of him. So many boyish mannerisms and yet… he was all man, undeniably so.

  
“Good morning to you too Commander,” Khal said nonchalantly, her eyes still focused on her whittling. She hadn’t had the chance to do it for some time, first with the threat of Corypheus and then with the whole losing an arm thing. Not that she’d somehow regrew her arm in the short time between losing it and disbanding the Inquisition. She’d just taken to using placing the wood firmly between her thighs and letting her right hand carve out all the details she could make on one side and then on the other when she was satisfied with the look of it.

  
Actually, all things considered, she was doing pretty well without her left arm. Sure it made the twin dual blade daggers on her back pretty useless but she’d rather be prepared than caught unaware any day. Plus now she only really had to wash one hand. And there was the matter of the mark that had been killing her. That was gone so as far as she was concerned she was winning.

  
Solas could suck on that!

  
“Are you listening to a word I’ve said, Inquisitor?” Cullen asked, stopping in the middle of his rant suddenly and fixing his intense gaze on her. Khal lifted her head and grimaced at his tight expression before shaking her head.

  
“I’m not going to lie to you Commander, I haven’t heard a word you said. Was it important?” she asked shyly, feeling very foolish. It was like those times being chastised by her Keeper after some foolish endeavor she’d, no doubt, convinced everyone to take part in.

  
_“You are so bright, Kha’les. The best of all my hunters, but your head is too hard and your ears are often closed to me, child.”_

  
“I… perhaps it is time for us to have a real conversation, your worship. I admit that I am used to having my suggestions followed as orders. But you are not under my command and I would do well to remember that,” Cullen sighed, finally taking a moment to pause in his rapid pacing.

  
“Ah, I’m sorry Comman-Cullen. We’re both already making a bit of a muck of things. I’m not the Inquisitor anymore nor have I ever really been the Herald of Andraste. As of now we are both just common folk who travel together. This may have been my idea but we are in this together. Too many lives are at stake for egos or anything of the like to get in our way,” Khal advised sagely, thinking of what her old Keeper would have advised. It was how she’d been able to make so many hard decisions without really breaking a sweat. How, through it all, she’d had yet to fall to ruin.

  
“That is... yes, I agree. We have both been rather silly,” Cullen smiled. Khal offered him a soft smile back, her dark cheeks warming under his soft gaze. Was it getting hot out or was it just her?

  
“Her smile is like the wind, it carries him up higher than any victory. If she would just smile more, open herself to him, he could ease her every pain, every worry. He could be her wind,” Cole whispered behind them, Cullen’s mabari circling him happily.

  
Cullen groaned and rubbed his hand down his face before turning to glare at the boy. Khal coughed suddenly, chest feeling much too tight. This was too awkward.

  
“I-he doesn’t know what he’s saying. Stay out of my mind, demon!” Cullen hissed, the lightness leaving his tone all at once. Khal placed her small dirk into its place upon the strapped holster on her outer thigh before plucking the piece of wood she’d been focused on from between her thighs to stand.

  
“Calm yourself, Cullen. Cole didn’t mean any harm, I promise. And he won’t make that a habit on this trip, I’m sure,” she said pointedly to the both of them. Cullen relaxed his stance, jaw ticking in frustration as Cole simply nodded his head.

  
“I only wanted to help,” he whispered softly. Khal nodded and offered him a small smile. He was and it was really a sweet harmless thing. She didn’t mind, even if it made the tips of her ears bright red

  
“I know, but it’s not fair to Cullen to voice his thoughts or feelings without his consent, that’s the truth,” she explained. The four of them, including Cullen’s dog, stood there in silence for a long moment.

  
“Now, we’re in Crestwood for supplies and a change of appearance. We’ve got to look like simple folk and talk like simple folk or we’ll never get anything done,” Khal urged, ready to get to work.

  
“Of course,” Cullen said in agreement, his eyes anywhere but on her. Cole just nodded his head silently, eyes cast down.

  
Boy was this going to be a long trip.

* * *

 

In the first time since she was a small child she had short hair. Shaved on the sides, it sort of reminded her of the hair style Krem had sported while Bull had been in her employ. The difference was that instead of allowing her coily hair to sit about however she wanted she opted to keep it in a neat set of braids, twisted into a fearsome Mohawk of sorts. It reminded her of a style she’d seen that had been popular with a few other Dalish clans.

  
Specifically she’d seen the men of Alerion clan sporting such looks with beads and shells and such inter woven into the styles.

  
Then, of course, there was the color. She figured anyone who had heard of her knew of the blood red hair she’d sported for much of her life. It wasn’t her natural color but one she loved like it was her own. Now she sported a mix of platinum blond and darker blond tresses. Perhaps it drew attention to her but not because she looked like the Inquisitor but because she looked fearless. Bold. Nothing made a shem uncomfortable like a self-assured elf.

  
“You look… wow,” Cullen breathed behind her. She quickly turned around from admiring her visage in the small mirror situated in the rooms they’d rented and offered him a thankful smile.

  
“I wasn’t sure what to do but this felt… right,” she explained. He nodded his head, his own hair the same has it had ever been. There wasn’t much she’d wanted Cullen to change of himself, just his clothes. As handsome as he was, he was just a regular Fereldan man. Anyone who really knew him would probably be able to tell on sight just who he was but those who didn’t wouldn’t bat an eyelash at his arrival. He looked familiar in a good way.

  
“You look lovely,” he whispered in a moment. They both blushed hotly at the admission just as Cole stepped into the room behind him. Cullen nearly jumped out of his skin as the boy whispered past him and towards the lone bed.

  
For his part, Cole was dressed as a regular farm boy. The tan pants he wore looked rough and well-worn as did the slightly lighter top he’d chosen the match it. His hat was still in place but it only served to add to the meekness she’d wanted him to embody. His previously shaggy appearance served him well in this new role she’d concocted for him.  
They were both to be loyal servants a kind to Cullen, if anyone asked. She’d been captured and ‘tamed’ and then given to him as a gift by deceased parents while Cole would serve as his younger and devoutly loyal brother. Cullen, for his part, was a man coming back to Fereldan from the Free Marches where he’d ran to escape the Blight. Since many of Lothering’s citizens were dead or displaced they’d chosen that as his fictional home. Now, since things in Fereldan were pretty much on the up and up he’d chosen to come back and try to settle into a new life after all this time.

  
It was fairly simple, as all things went but just complicated enough to seem believable. At least Varric had thought so when she’d written him for advice on the matter. He was the story tell, after all, not her.

  
“Well then, we’re all dressed and ready. Should we set off?” Cullen asked, eyeing Cole warily. Khal shook her head.

  
“Of course not. Its night and I don’t think average folk would risk traveling when bandits and other unsavory characters are out making their work. We’ll stay the night and then set off to Denerim in the morning.” The two men nodded their head before both turning their gaze upon the single bed. Khal watched them look over it before rolling her eyes.  
“We can all share the bed,” she suggested. Cole shook his head before standing.

  
“I’ll be outside,” he muttered before quickly rushing from the room, his eyes connecting with Cullen quickly. She shrugged her shoulders before flopping onto the stiff mattress. She’d miss her bed in Skyhold for sure. Sleeping outside on trips had been rough but she’d always had that bed to look forward to. This sucked.

  
“I can take the floor,” Cullen offered sheepishly. Khal turned her gaze to him and blushed once more under his hot stare, her exposed stomach fluttering with butterflies at the heat in his eyes. She’d chosen an older look she’d known the Sabrae clan had sported before the blight. It left a lot of skin exposed but that’s the look she was going for. If a human had taken one such as herself, the self she’d made up, as a servant she’d figured he’d want to show her off as much as possible.

  
“Nonsense. We can share the bed,” she insisted. He nodded quickly as she turned to lay on her side, facing away from him. This wouldn’t be awkward at all. It was another few moments before he climbed into bed with her, distancing himself as far from her as he could get. Honestly, any farther and he would have been on the floor just as he seemed to want.

  
And then, just as she thought to turn and tease him, a large body scooted between them, pressed warmly against her exposed back. She chuckled softly as realization hit her, the dog.

  
“You allow him to sleep with you?” she asked softly into the now dark room, when had he blown out the candles?

  
“He does what he wants, I’m afraid,” he whispered back before a soft whine assailed both of their ears. Someone was tired.

  
“He wants us to go to bed then, I suppose. Goodnight Cullen,” she offered softly.

  
“Sleep well, Kha’les,” he murmured in return. She liked how he said her name, she decided as she began to drift off. She’d like to hear it more often.

* * *

 

_Earth hung precariously from above her head, the ceiling of the small room warped as huge floating beds of rock meshed with it. It was… unsightly to say the least. With a sigh she sat up on the empty bed and took in the sight of the room around her. Half of it was cast in an impenetrable darkness that she didn’t bother to think of, the other half cast in a brilliant golden light._

  
_She stood and caught sight of herself in the mirror, red hair and amber eyes showing brightly against her burnt sienna skin. The forest green of her old vallaslin flashing into a sickly fade green, just as her left hand did. She took a second to realize that the mark had traveled up to her shoulder in the time it took for her to appraise herself._  
_So this was a nightmare of some kind, was it? She’d had a similar one a few weeks prior which had ended with her death, of course. It had also started with the voice of the Nightmare demon so she’d had no illusion then how things would end._

  
_Instead of thinking any further on any of it she stepped out of view of the mirror and towards the darkness. Any time she’d thought to stay in the light something terrible had happened, she was sure it would be much the same in the darkness but at least then she wouldn’t have to see what grotesque horror awaited her._

  
_And just as she stepped over the boundary separating the room from the nothingness a new scene exploded to the forefront of her mind. Tall white spires with ironbark trees wrapped around them like great winding spirals piercing the sky. Beautiful pink light from the setting sun reflected off of them, illuminating the faces of tall folk bustling around at their feet._

  
_What was this? Where was she?_

  
_Greenery the like of which she’d never seen before poked between the golden walk ways and along the signs suspended at each intersection. People, her people but taller, passed by her in a rush creating a sort of liquid traffic as they made their way to their daily activities. A gaggle of children to her left squealed as a man who looked oddly like iron bull charged them playfully, ushering them along the path she stood upon._

  
_“Do you see?” a voice, his voice, asked from somewhere ahead of her. Instead of answering she walked between the rushing pedestrians, breaking their formation for a stiff moment, before she found herself on a different, less populated pathway. The tiles of this one were silver and shown like mirror under her feet, allowing her to take in her new attire. She wore her long, fluffy, curls pinned up in a beautiful updo which allowed them to cascade down the right side of her face. A daffodil yellow empire-waisted dress with a crisscrossing back flowed down the curves of her body to cover her sandal clad feet. She looked… beautiful._

  
_“Sister, are you lost?” a new voice asked beside her. There stood a tall, lanky man with a wide smile before her. On his face the twisting green branches of his vallaslin shown in stark contrast against his pale complexion. He looked like…_

  
_“Abelas?” she asked suddenly and softly. He smiled and nodded his head._

  
_“Well yes, do I know you sister?” he asked, smile still in place. Khal shook her head quickly, this was… weird. He looked young, younger than he had when she’d first and last seen him. Where was she?_

  
_“Is this your first time away from your home temple, da’len?” he asked sweetly._

  
_“Yes,” she rushed out. He nodded his head knowingly before offering her his hand._

  
_“Then I will show you around, you must be very pleasing to our lady to be allowed to roam as you are. And dressed so finely, you must be of her favorites. Of course, I see your coloring is similar to my own so this must have been meant to be,” he rambled on and on as he led her down the path. Her mind whipped around frantically, trying to explain this situation. As far as she knew, from all she’d been taught by both experience and Solas, dreaming in the fade was limited by both imagination and experience. How then could she have found herself dreaming of what she was sure was Arlathan? It didn’t make any sense._

  
_“Can you see?” his voice once again called out to her from a head. She looked around frantically forward, hoping desperately to catch a glimpse of him._

  
_“Da’len? Is there someone you wish to see? Somewhere specific you wish to go? As your fellow I will take you anywhere,” Abelas offered beside her, his sky blue robes billowing in the sudden wind that blew upon them, sending a peculiar scent her way._

  
_“I must… ahead,” she said weakly, pointing her trembling finger forward. She had to see him. Even if she hated him, even if this was just a random dream brought on by her emotional exhaustion, she needed to see Solas._

  
_“Ah, the temple of our Lady. I see you have much sense, wishing to pay your respects before all else. I admire that. I admit that when I was first given leave of my home temple that I ventured over every sight I could take in before offering my thanks to She who is the most high. Our dragon mother, of peace and understanding. Fierce and beautiful! Ah, look at me, praises rains from my mouth for her even before we enter her sacred space, for she has brought me many joys. Has she brought you joys, sister?” Abelas asked brightly. Kha’les nodded her head silently as they made their way down the path._

  
_“Ah, you are a quiet sister. Our Lady must adore your meekness. I hear it is one of her favorite traits in a daughter,” Abelas pondered aloud before continuing to ramble on. Khal barely paid him any mind as a large temple came into shape before them. Marble columns larger than any she’d ever seen surrounded the wide open space filled with a beautiful assortment of flora and fauna she assumed was long dead in the waking world. Large drooping dark purple flowers with blood red centers wrapped around the large white columns giving them a life and openness they wouldn’t have had otherwise. Abelas lead the two of them into the space, greeting many as they made their way to the center of the garden chambers through a blue bush maze._

  
_In the center stood a beautiful and modest statue of Mythal, with hands raised high to the heavens and a gentle smile placed upon her lips. Before the statue was a golden plate for offerings and floating golden candles that were already lit. Abelas released her hand and fell to a knee before the statue as she took in the sight._

  
_She allowed herself a moment to take in the serenity of the moment before following behind the Elvhen man and letting her covered knee hit the soft blue grass. As she did Abelas began a prayer._

  
_“Our dragon mother, the keeper of our hearts and our souls, who leads the people with grace and kindness, who offers unending understanding, hear us today as we give thanks to you and your wonder. Your glory is all before us and we are grateful to be a part of your plan for peace. You who gave me the name Abelas and has never allowed me to see a painful day, who has led this sister beside me here. We ask for nothing that you will not give and give everything that we are so that you may continue to bless us with your many wonders,” he whispered softly into the quiet chamber._

  
_“I have a word for you, child,” a new gentle voice called. Kha’les lifted her head then and gasped as the statue of Mythal faced her full on, marble eyes fixed upon her gapping face._

  
_“My-my,” she stuttered in disbelief._

  
_“You are free with my knowledge. I release you,” the statue whispered as the candles around them began to burn brighter before flickering out and falling from the place as well as the plate for offerings. She looked back at the statue to see it lying down, a broken mess of stone in front of her._

  
_“What?” she asked, confused._

  
_“You must see now. I release you, child. I release you with my knowledge, you are not mine any longer,” the voice of Flemeth said from her side. She turned to see Abelas standing beside her now, eyes glowing blue._

  
_“Where…,” she began before stopping, seeing the figure she’d been longing to catch a glimpse of step from out of the path they’d followed to this center space. Solas stood just as devastatingly handsome as ever._

  
_“So-“_

  
_“Ma vhenan,” he whispered, stepping closer to her._

  
_“I… We will not control you, you are free,” he stated softly. She reached out before stilling her burning desire to hold him._

  
_“What is this? Why did you bring me here?” she asked heatedly._

  
_“I did no such thing. You came here on your own. I was surprised to see you but I am happy that you are here. I… I wish things could be different, vhenan. Ir abelas,” he said gently, his eyes filled with a deep sadness, his right hand lifted as if to caress her cheek. She stepped quickly away from him._

  
_“No you don’t. I’m not even real to you. I never was. Just as none of this is real to me,” she grounded out. He nodded his head, understanding her anger and allowing him hand to drop._

  
_“That this once was real and that you are now real matters not. I will do what I must,” he concluded. She nodded sharply, tears prickling her eyes._

  
_“If I have to kill you I will,” she promised as he began his retreat._

  
_“Ar lath ma, vhenan. When next we meet… I suppose we will be enemies,” he threw over his shoulder, Abelas of Flemeth or Mythal or whoever the hell it was following closely behind him._

  
_“We already are!” she shouted as the dream around her fell away._

* * *

 

Kha’les opened her eyes suddenly, keeping as still as she could so as not to disturb the other occupants of the bed. In an instant her anger crashed down, her face twisting in pain as silent tears trailed hotly down her tauny cheeks. Suddenly arms pulled her into a broad chest. She trembled and cried as Cullen whispered softly into her hair, holding her tightly as she cried herself back to sleep, his eyes shining in pain behind her.

  
They would make things right. He would make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can probably tell I'm taking a few liberties with things here.
> 
> I've got my own theories, as I'm sure we all do, ones which I will definitely include in this fic. Also does anyone remember the leather light armors in DAO? All that skin showing? Well that's how I imagine Kha'les dresses now. Just a little throw back to that time in impractical battle wear.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, see you next chapter.


	3. The First Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knowledge always comes at a price

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some parts of this chapter read a bit stilted which I apologize about.

Khal didn’t allow things between her and Cullen to get awkward the next morning. At the crack of dawn she slipped from his vice-like grip and collected her small bit of things before promptly getting the hell out of there. On her trek to put as much space between herself and the buff blond human who had held her so tightly throughout the night she finally allowed herself to take a moment to think over the very weird and painful dream she’d bad the night before.

  
She would have been lying if she said she hadn’t been thinking over what it would mean for her as Mythal’s servant trying to stop Solas from fulfilling his plan. She figured that the two were tied very closely together with very similar aims and she’d be putting herself in direct conflict with the Goddess she’d pledged herself to. That, of course, didn’t stop her from making up her mind to do what she had to do regardless. The only problem was just how long she’d be able to keep it up before Mythal called upon her to do her bidding.

  
She had specifically put Dagna in charge of research to see if there was anything she could do to counteract the Goddess’ pull over her. She hadn’t heard the whispers of Mythal’s guidance since after they’d defeated Corypheus but she hadn’t want to take a chance and wake up having slaughtered her companions at Mythal’s bidding. But it seemed like it was all for nothing now that she was freed.

  
Or at least she thought she was. The dream, if that’s truly what it had been, had made it pretty clear that Mythal was working with Solas now and didn’t need Khal in her grasps any longer. Or maybe it had been at Solas’ urging that she’d been freed. Either way she wasn’t exactly about to start complaining. This just meant that there was one less thing for her to worry about.

  
She was half way to Caer Bronach when her head felt like it was about to be split in half.

  
“Ugh!” she cried, reaching her one head up to cradle her pulsing forehead.

  
“ _Foolish girl, did you think you would have freedom so easily?_ ” The voice of Mythal taunted her. Khal swayed on her feet for a moment, trying to keep herself upright before finally pitching forward, landing hard on her metal covered knees. That was definitely going to leave a few bruises.

  
“Ah! Ahhhh!” she screamed as the pain began to build, Mythal cackling loudly around her.

  
“ _Knowledge always comes at a price_ ,” she teased once more as Khal’s world began to spin. Rushed voices speaking in languages she had never heard before began shouting all around her, getting louder and louder as the pain increased.

  
Eventually it all got to be so unbearable she had no choice but to lay curled in a fetal position as visions began assaulting her.

  
First there was a fortress made of gold shining brightly under moonlight which was then replaced with the vision of a dark skinned woman transforming into some monstrous beast, horns covered in blood splitting her skull open, before the image changed again into a young Solas holding the body of a beautiful blond woman, green bile leaking from the corner of her mouth. The heavens opening, golden seats, Gods laughing, children eaten by dragons, children becoming dragons, Elves flying on the backs of griffins, fire consuming everything in its path, red lyrium growing from the skin of a dwarf, a human boy being sacrificed, and then there was the blood. So much blood! Rivers of it covering Thedas, the world.

  
Cullen and Solas lying dead at her feet, their eyes blank. The nightmare demon swallowing the sun, the ground splitting, darkspawn clawing their way out of the depths of the deep roads, Orzammar falling, a golem crushing the head of their king. Ancient souls crying out for relief, for freedom.

  
“Kha’les!” Cullen cried, crouching beside her suddenly, Cole and his faithful mabari hot on his heels. He scooped up Khal’s convulsing body as the visions continued.

  
“ _Here is your chance, girl. Prove yourself_ ,” the voice of Mythal whispered finally as the visions began fading away. The last and most haunting vision; her nude in her old bed at Skyhold, Cullen and Solas equally nude lying asleep on either side of her flashed before her eyes before the darkness of unconsciousness finally consumed her.

* * *

 

  
Khal woke slowly, her head feeling much like someone had shot a bolt of lightning through it. She sat for countless minutes trying to sort out what she had just experienced. It all felt like some type of feverish nightmare but she knew that it meant more, more than even the dream of the night before.

  
And the last thing… was that what she could have if she succeeded? Was that just to tease her?

  
“She’s awake and… confused,” Cole whispered from somewhere to her left. She listened as Cullen stepped swiftly to lift her limp body into his arm and then press a cup of stale water to her dry lips.

  
“Come now, just take a few sips,” he pleaded softly. Khal obliged if only for to get him to put him at ease. Once she’d swallowed down the entire contents of the cub she allowed herself to open her eyes, Cullen’s worried face looking down at her tenderly.

  
“Are you… what happened?” he asked softly. She shook her head, confused herself.

  
“I-Mythal. She-it’s… how long have I been sleeping?” she asked, finally noticing that they were once again in the room they’d rented.

  
“A few hours. You left in the morning without a word and I was worried,” he explained. She nodded and tried to shift herself out of his arms. Cullen raised a brow before allowing her to escape.

  
“What is going, Kha’les? Where were you headed?” he questioned.

  
“I thought I’d check out our old keep here, Caer Bronach. Especially after last night, I needed space,” she said honestly. Cullen nodded his head with a sigh before standing to his feet quickly to walk to the other side of the room. Khal smiled sadly before looking down at her shaking hands. She couldn’t get the image of him curled against her side, nude as the day he was born with Solas on the other side of her. Coupled with the memory of him holding her through the night and she…

  
“Warm, warmth like she has never known, hard and strong. Like a rock, he holds her down and she wants it. Needs to be grounded in something that isn’t herself,” Cole whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed, his pale eye staring into her honeyed gaze. If she had been a paler sort she was sure she would have shown bright like a ripe tomato under his stare.

  
“We should discuss where we’re heading first,” Cullen said finally, cutting the silence suddenly.

  
“Denerim. I sent word to King Alistair with Dagna when I sent her off. He should be expecting us,” Khal responded absently as she thought once more of the visions that had come to her.

  
Apparently there was another blight coming. 


End file.
